1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to actuators, and in particular micro electro mechanical (MEM) actuators.
2. Related Art
There is a recent surge of interest in camera systems for cell phone and other portable devices. This market has pushed the limits of standard optical systems in providing high quality zoom lens systems in a small package and at low cost. Current state-of-the art zoom lens systems use plastic and other low cost components to assemble moving lens assemblies. The motion of these lenses is typically driven using small electric motors. These systems have a lot of components and require complicated assembly to put together.
There is a need for an integrated actuated stage, where the actuator, the springs, and the guides are all integrated together. Further, there is a need to achieve the integration during wafer-level processing. This type of actuator also has many other applications.